The Evolution of a Relationship
by Adgie
Summary: Don't let the title fool you! "She felt her breathing quicken and her eyes locked on to his. “Nor have I” She felt herself say. Why? Why did her mouth just say that? She wondered."


**Disclaimer: All usual disclaimers apply.**

**A.N. So yup getting back into the groove of FF writing =)**

She had no idea how she ended up on her bed lying beside him looking at the ceiling in silent contemplation. She did know, however, that her train of thought was quite unlike that she usually had. She wondered when exactly she started caring if she was going to spend the rest of her life alone. When exactly she had become so different, comfortable enough to let him lay next to her on her bed for no apparent reason. She suspected it had started when they actually referred to each other as partners and not 'sort-of partners' but then it could have been when they were friends instead of just partners, or maybe even when they became best friends instead of just friends. Although neither of them had affirmed it aloud. She knew he was the best friend she had ever had and probably ever would. But now gazing at this ceiling she realized she no longer knew what to refer to him as… not even in her mind. It was disconcerting. She looked over at him and was suddenly aware that he was staring at her and probably had been for a while. He could tell there was something on her mind. Before he could question her thoughts she asked why he was staring at her. "No reason. Just that you seem upset. What's wrong, Bones?" He inquired, infuriatingly enough. He was just asking out of concern she knew. "Nothing, Booth" She said calmly.

"Just thinking." As he continued to stare at her she quickly became anxious under his scrutinizing eye. She moved a strand of hair from her eye and let her hand fall by her face between them. "Thank you… for staying with me today, Booth." She tried to deflect from the uncomfortable situation.

"Of course, Bones" He said flipping onto his side to look at her. "You're my best friend, why wouldn't I?" Bones turned her head to him, slightly shocked he said that considering what she had been previously thinking about. She smiled a little bit at him.

"You're my best friend too." She said looking back at the ceiling.

After a few moments of silence she heard him take in a breath. "Although, this is different." He said. She felt him shift on the bed. She looked over at him again.

"What do you mean?" She watched as his hand moved closer to her and hovered right above hers.

"I mean, I've never wanted to…" He placed his hand on her wrist and moved up to fit his larger palm over hers. "…hold my best friend's hand before." He said, shifting her fingers apart before slipping his fingers between hers and squeezing her hand.

She felt her breathing quicken and her eyes locked on to his. "Nor have I" She felt herself say. Why? Why did her mouth just say that? She wondered.

"I've never had a best friend…" he continued picking up her hand and placing it over his heart. "…that made my heart beat faster and slowed my breathing." He said picking her hand up again as she felt the quickly beating heart fade away from under her fingers as he kissed the tip of each and every one before planting a firm kiss on her upturned palm. Her eyes, which had been fixated on their hands, now were glued back to his eyes. In all their years as partners, in all the years he wore his 'cocky' belt buckle, in all that time, she had never seen him more confident or self assured as she saw in his eyes at that exact moment. He wasn't going to back down…. And although she had a feeling this wouldn't help her conundrum of what title to give their relationship, neither was she. She knew that he didn't really expect her to respond to this but she saw him move to continue when she let a smile slip onto her face. He put their hands down and looked into her eyes and said "I think I like you." She gave him a look. She knew he knew he liked her, and that it may very well extend beyond just 'liking' her. She'd changed so much in the years she'd know him. 5 years ago she didn't believe in the concept of love being more than a chemical process in the brain and now she was starting to believe that maybe it wasn't the chemical process that was so often mistaken for love but maybe the chemical process was the result. She stared intently back at him determined to get her point across in the words she was about to utter, however simple.

"Well… I KNOW I like you." She smiled. Then she rolled off the bed and sauntered out the door, glancing back to see a slightly shocked, but nevertheless more than pleased Booth still laying on her bed… and still staring at her.

**A.N. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!! Usually I just say "Make up your own minds" but when people make the decision not to it kinda kills my spirit. =(. So tanks you for da reading of mines story. You don't have to love it and CONSTRCUTIVE criticism is always welcome =)**


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